Washington, DC: The US has dropped “Indo” from the Indo-Pacific Command and sparked a row by publishing a map of India, showing parts of Jammu and Kashmir in Pakistan.
The 79-year-old Pacific Command became the Indo-Pacific Command only eight years ago. The US Department of Defence reversed the change on Tuesday, stating that the designation honours the Command’s deep historical roots, established in 1947 by then-president Harry Truman.
The US Pacific Command (USPACOM) extends from the US West Coast to the Arabian Sea along India’s western boundary.
Then-US defence secretary James Mattis had, in 2018, said that the name was changed to Indo-Pacific Command in recognition of the increasing connectivity between the Indian and Pacific oceans.
The com
mand stretches “from Bollywood to Hollywood, and from penguins to polar bears,” and plays an important part in America’s national defence strategy, Mattis had then said, as reported by Deccan Chronicle.
Criticism has also erupted over the map of India published on the USPACOM website, which shows certain parts of Jammu and Kashmir as Pakistan’s territory. The map was published shortly after the announcement was made regarding the name restoration.
“Originally established on January 1, 1947, by President Harry S Truman, the command operated under the USPACOM banner for over 70 years, standing as the oldest and largest of the United States’ unified combatant commands,” the Department of Defence said in a statement.
“Restoring the legacy USPACOM designation honours the command’s deep historical roots, fostering a sense of pride and collective spirit among all who serve in the Pacific,” it said.
“From its critical role in establishing the post-WWII regional security architecture to its coordination of joint forces during the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and countless humanitarian operations, the USPACOM namesake carries decades of military heritage and enduring regional partnerships,” the statement added.
The vast area of responsibility of the USPACOM – spanning from the waters off the West Coast of the United States to the western border of India – remains the same, it mentioned.